KAMUT INDIAN STYLE PUDDING

This stove-top Indian pudding swaps in Kamut flour and swaps out the cornmeal, creating a perfect grainy texture that is the hallmark of Indian pudding. Big, bold spicy flavors, soft, melt in your mouth textures! Oregon sweet cherries and cashew butter are the surprise ingredients!

Makes 4-1/2 cups or 9, 1/2 cup servings

3 c. water

1/2 c. Kamut flour

1 t. sea salt or a little less of regular salt

2 t. powdered ginger

1 T. cinnamon

1 t. ground cloves

a little finely ground black pepper

1/3 c. creamy cashew butter at room temperature – I used Jif brand for its creaminess and meltability

Whisk in the ginger, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper, then reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for 15 minutes to soften and thicken the grain.

Stir in the cashew butter till it melts.

Stir in the molasses and the brown sugar till melted.

Add cherries and syrup. Stir gently to distribute the cherries and incorporate the syrup.

Bring pudding back to a rupture of a boil, then remove from heat.

Spoon into dessert cups. Refrigerate till ready to serve. Or serve warm or at room temperature.

Top with veg whipped cream, a few red grapes and a little lemon zest.

Notes: The cherries give this Indian style pudding just enough tart, and the soft of the cherries works expertly with this ancient grain.

Kamut flour textures like fine cornmeal and cooks up like cream of wheat – the texture and thickness being very similar.

I used cashew butter in place of margarine with two results: I could forego the flour usually used for further thickening, plus I achieved a desirable, flavorful fat content.

Once the pudding thickens, stir often to prevent sticking.

You can also serve this pudding flan-style. Lightly coat dessert cups with a flavorless vegetable oil before pouring pudding into each cup. Refrigerate till cold, then invert onto dessert plate, garnish and serve.

If serving warm you might want to top with a little veg ice-cream, or the veg whipped cream.